Refrigerating, dehumidifying, and ventilating appliance



jams 7?, 1932. c. A. MGORE 3,861,813

REFRIGERATING, DEHUMIDIFYING, AND VENTILATING APPLIANCE v Filed Aug. 9, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l I l s gwuentoz Char/e5 14 JVoorc June 7, 1932. c. A. MOORE 1,861,813

REFRIGERATING, DEHUMIDIFYING, AND VENTILATING- APPLIANCE Filed Aug. 9; 1950 2 Shets-$heet 2 O O O 0 O O O O O O Char/esfi-Maare v I Patented June 7, 1932 UNITED STATES CHARLES A. MOORE, OF EDINA, MINNESOTA REFRIGERATING, DEHUMIDIFYING, AND VENTILATING APPLIANCE- Application filed August 9, 1980. Serial No. 474,285.

This invention relates to refrigerating, dehumidifying and ventilating appliances for cold storage rooms, or other enclosures, generally of the type disclosed in PatentNo.

1,777 ,57 3, granted to me October 7, 1930.

In my said patent, an appliance of the above designated character is disclosed in which airis introduced from the outside and first made to travel downwardly past a refrigerating medium. In the present application, the air is introduced from the outside into a conduit within the refrigerating coil, and is then drawn upward into the space between the refrigerating coil 'and said conduit and discharged into the room at an elevated point. Thus the air is first gradually cooled and finally introduced into the room directly after it has passed the coolest portion of the refrigerating. appliance.

The various further objects and advantages of this invention will more fully hereinafter appear from the detailed description.

In the drawings illustrating the invention, Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of an appliance embodying my present invention and Fig. 2 is a central, vertical sectional view of the appliance.

Reference being had to the drawings, wherein similar reference letters and numerals designate similar parts throughout the several views, itwill be noted that I have illustrated a floor 3, walls 4 and ceiling 5015 a chamber X in whichthe apparatus is placed. This apparatus comprises three upright concentric conduits A, B and C.

The outer conduit A includes a helically coiled refrigerant pipe 10, the turns thereof being held between a number of paired channel-like standards 6 clamped together by bolts 7, said standards having their footing on a base ring 8 of angle iron. The lowermost turn of the pipe 10 is disposed considerably above the .base ring 8, the upper portion of the space between said turn of the pipe and the base ring 8 being occupied by a sheet metal skirt 23 secured to the outer standards 6. Surrounding the upper end of the pipe coil is a sheet metal hood 14 includ- 5 ing a depending flange 14, which is clamped site or inner end of the branch pipe 22 is at its lower margin between the outer sides of the upper turn of the coiled ipe 10 and the inner sides of the outer stan ards 6. Issuing from the flange 14 of the hood 14 is a pipe connection 15 having an outwardly flared end portion 15 to which a thimble 16 Y is attached. Disposed within this thimble 16 is a fan 17 which is driven through a belt 17 a from a motor 18 anchored to the lower side of said thimble. The end of the lower turn of the coiled pipe 10 projects through the skirt 23 and connects with a pipe 10 fitted with a valve 10", said pipe 10*, in turn, being connected with a source of refrigerating fluid, such as brine or the like. The end of the upper turn of the coiled pipe 10 is similarly connected with a pipe 10 fitted with a valve 10 and, in turn, connected with a return main leading back to the source of refrigerant supply. The base ring 8 of the. appliance is seated over a floor drain such as illustrated at 27 in Fig. 2.

The conduit B comprises a sheet metal pipe 20 disposed within the conduit A co-axially therewith. The upper end of ipe 20 is closed by a top 20, the lower end eing open and terminating substantially at the level of the lowermost turn of the coiled pipe 10. Issuing from the upper portion of the pipe 20 is a horizontal branch pipe 19 of. suflicient length to reach through a side wall 4 of'the building structure, said branch pipe 19 being fitted with adamper 25.

The conduit C includes a pipe 21 arranged within the'pipe 20 co-axially therewith, its upper end being extended through the top 20 of pipe 20 and the top of the hood 14 and opening at its upper end at an elevation near the ceiling 5 of the chamber X. The lower end of pipe 21 connects with a horizontal branch pipe 22, the upper sideof which fits in diametrically opposed notches 23 cut in the lower margin of the skirt 23. The outer end of this branch pipe22 extends through a side wall 4 of the building structure, afl'ording communication with the outer atmosphere'and within this portion of said branch pipe 22 is a damper 26. The opposupplied with a removable cap 24. 1 mo i 9 mixes with thedescending flow of air with- In use, the available refrigerant is introduoed into the coiled pipe 10 and circulated therethrough. The coil, upon being cooled, accumulates sufiicient frost upon the turns thereof to close spaces {between the turns of the pipe, therebyforming a shell of frost encircling the pipe 20. In the principal use of the device, the cap 24 is :fixed in place, the

-' dampers 25 and 26 opened and the fan 17 circling the same. The fan 17, in building up a pressure within the chamber, causes the expulsion of air from the upper portion of the chamber to the outer atmosphere by way of the inner conduit C, the natural tendency of air within said inner conduit C being to descend by gravity by reason of the disposition of the pipe 21 within the cooled pipe 20. In the operation of the appliance outlined above, it will be understood that the incoming fresh air is precoole'd in .its descent through the conduit Band that it is mainly refrigerated during its ascent along the inner wall of the pipe coil, the air being thus forced ,from the appliance immediately following its travel along the coolest portion thereof. In this connection, it will be noted that the air entering the upper portion of the room is dehumidified, a substantial part of the condensation of moisture from the incoming air occuring upon the walls of the pipe 20 from which the condensation drips directly into the drain 27. "Under these conditions, the :accumulation of frost upon the turns of the coiled pipe 10- is minimized, making it-necessary to defrost the pipe coil less frequently;..tha rn would be the case were the incoming fresh air tobe exposed immediately ;to the refrigerated pipe coil.

Under some circumstances, a desirable condition may be maintained within the chamber without operating the fanr17 and by leaving the'dampers 25 and 26' open. In such case, fresh air enters the'chamber by gravity through the conduit 13,- while 'air from the upper portion of thechiimber escapes to theouter atmosphere through the inner con duit C. In descending through the conduit B the incoming fresh air is refrigeratedand inthe outer conduit A, which enters said conduit through the pipe connection 15 and flows out into the lower portion of the cham her from beneath the skirt 23. In such use of the appliance it will be noted that the operation secures a refrigerated ventilation and portion thereof in addition to the downward fiow of air in the outer conduit A from the upper portion of the chamber through pipe connection 15 to the lower portion of the chamber beneath the skirt 23.

In my invention disclosed in Patent No.

1,777,573, the conduit, which normally admits air into the chamber, comprises the coiled refrigerant pipe. In the resent invention, the conduit consisting of t e coiled refrigerant pipe is otherwise employed, one of the sheet metal pipes being used for the purpose of normally admitting air to the chamber from the exterior. vThus, in the resent construction with the outer atmosp ere colder than that within the chamber and without the presence of a refrigerant within the pipe coil, the conduits B and C function in a manner, as follows: The relatively warm air at the lower portion of the chamber gravitates out through conduit B while fresh air ravitates into the chamber through conduit, Under such circumstances it is not possible in the structure of my said Patent 1,777,573, satisfactorily to discharge air from the lower portion of the chamber, since the discharge would be mainly from the u per portion of the chambervia the spaces between upper turns of' plipe in the pipe coil.

e present invention is particularly advantageous in that the relatively simple and inexpensive structure, which is susceptible of various operations, embodies means by which the incoming fresh air may be initially cooled to the end that a substantial part of the moisture may be removed from the incoming air prior to its direct contact with the primary mooling medium.

Changes.in the specific form of my invention, as herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having described my; invention, what I new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is: V 1 a g 1. The combination with a structure forming a chamber, of an upright refrigerated conduit communicating at its upper end with the upper portion of the chamber, a second conduit within .saidfirst conduit communicating at" its lower end with the interior of the first conduit at the lower part thereof and at its upper end with the outer air, and means for drawing air upwardly within the. first conduit and forcing it therefrom into the upper portion of said chamber, such upward flow stimulating the descent of incoming fresh air within said second conduit.

2. The combination with a structure forming a chamber, of an upright refrigerated conduitcommunicating at its upper end with the upper portion of the chamber, and a secondconduit within said first conduit communicating at its upper end with the outer f iii, both conduits communicating at their lower ends with the lower portion of the chamber.

3. The combination with a structure forming a. chamber, of an upright refrigerated conduit communicating at its upper end with the upper portion of the chamber, and a second conduit within said first conduit communicating at its upper end with the outer air, both conduits communicating at their lower ends with thelower portion of the 2 chamber, said second conduit having avalve therein for regulating the ingress of air therethrough.

4. The combination with a structure form ing a chamber, of an upright refrigerated 25 conduit communicating at its upper end with the upper portion of the chamber, a second conduit within said first conduit communicating at its upper end with the outer air, both conduits communicatingat their lower 3% ends with the lower portion of the chamber, and a third conduit within the second conduit, said third conduit communicating at its upper end with the upper portion of the chamber and at its lower end with the outer air.

5. The combination with a structure forming a chamber, of an upright refrigerated conduit communicating at its upper end with the upper portion of the chamber, a second conduit within said first conduit communicating at its upper end with the outer air, both conduits communicating at their. lower ends with the lower portion of the chamber,'and a third conduit within the second conduit, said third conduit communicating at its upper end with the upper portion of the-chamber and at its lower end with the outer'air, said second and third 'conduits each having a valve therein for regulating, respectively, the ingress and egress of air to and from the cham- 5@ her. 1

6. The combination with a structure forming a chamber, of an upright refrigerated conduit communicating at its upper end with the upper portion of the chamber and at its her, a second conduit within said first conduit communicating at its lower end with the interior of the first conduit at the lower part thereof and atits upper end with the outer air, and means for drawing air upwardly through the first conduit from the lower portion of the chamber, also from the lower end of the second conduit, and forcing it into the upper portion of the chamber.

'Z. The combination with a structure formlower end with the lower portion of the chame ing a chamber, of, an upright refrigerated conduit communicating at its upper end with air, a valve within said secondconduit, and

means for drawing air upwardly through the first conduit from the lower portion of the chamber, also from the lower end of the second conduit, and forcing it into the upper portion of the chamber.

8. The combination with a structure formin'g'a chamber, of an upright refrigerated conduit communicating at itsupper end with the upper portion of the chamber and at its lower end with the lower portion of the chamher, a second conduit within said first conduit communicating at its lower'end with the interior of the first conduit at the lower part thereof and at its upper end with the outer air, means for drawing air upwardly through the first conduit from the lower portion of the chamber, also from the lower end of the second conduit, and forcing it into the up er portion'of the chamber, and a thirdcon uit within the second conduit, said third conduit communicating at its upper end with the upperportion of the chamber and at its lower end with the outer atmosphere.

9. The combination with a structure forming a chamber, of an upright conduit communicating at its upper end with the outer atmosphere, temperature afi'ecting means comprising a pipe coiled about and spaced from said conduit and adapted to be connected with a source of refrigerating fluid, the space between the pipe coil and said first conduit forming a second conduit communicating at its lower end with the lower portion of the chamber, a hood surmounting the pipe coil and having a connection bringing the said second conduit in communication at, its upper end with the upper portion of/the chamber, a fan disposed in said connection for drawing air upwardly through the second conduit from the lower portion of the room, also from the lower end ofsaid first conduit, and blowing it into the upper portion of the chamber,'and a third conduitwithin the first conduit communicating at its upper end with the upper portion of the room and at its lower end with the outer atmosphere.

10. The combination with a' structure forming a chamber, of an upright conduit communicating at its upper end withvthe outer atmosphere, temperature affecting means comprising a pipe coiled about and spaced from said conduit and adapted to be connected with a source of refrigerating fluid, the space between thepipe coil and said first conduit forming a second conduit, a hood surmounting the pipe coil and having a connecits tion bringing the said second conduit in communication at its up er end with the upper portion of the cham er, a fan disposed in said connection for drawing air upwardly 5 through the'second conduit from the lower end of said first conduit, and blowin it into the upper portion of the chamber, an means 7 for the egress of air from the chamber. 11. The combination with a structure 10 forming a chamber, of an appliance therein comprising an upright air recirculating conduit containing an upright air ingress conduit, and an upright air egress conduit, the air recirculating conduit comprising a refrig- 15 erant pipe turned coil u on coil, the turns thereof being adapted to e frosted'together, said conduit being in communication at its upper and lower ends with the up er and lower portions, respectively, of the c amber, 20 the ingress and egressconduits comprising pipes, the former communicating at lts upper end and the latter at its lower end with the outer atmosphere.

In testimony whereof I afiix m signature.

CHARLES A. OORE. 

